Marianna Ciarlante August 30, 2023
Determined look, altruistic soul, Venetian accent and a heart that remains faithful to the great love of his life: the sea. Pierfrancesco Favino opens the 80th Venice Film Festival in the role of Salvatore Todaro, the submarine commander of the Royal Navy during the Second World War and protagonist of the opening film of Venezia 80, Comandante. After Lacci by Daniele Lucchetti in 2020, it is once again an Italian film that sets the tone at the Venice Lido Film Festival, ready to offer over the next ten days all the emotional nuances that only cinema can convey.
Who was Salvatore Todaro who inspired the film “Comandante”?
Directed by Edoardo De Angelis, “Comandante” is a film that combines aesthetics with communication, creating a fascinating yet functional contrast between aesthetically perfect scenes that, however, tell raw, difficult, brutal stories. With good direction and a well-constructed script, even if it is sometimes too focused on patriotism and morality, Comandante convinces without confusing, pleases but does not shock, pleases but does not make the heart beat, or at least manages to do so only in some moments.
Commander is a true love letter to the sea and a way to convey to viewers a strong message on very topical themes such as kindness, humanity and solidarity towards the enemy or those who are different. In the narrow and very narrow spaces of a submarine you get the feeling sleeping huddled together, being left without food, dying at sea and becoming attached to his traveling companions, who are always ready to fight to the last for their own homeland. Perhaps that is precisely what makes this film most convincing: its focus is on men with very strong ideals, it does not want to show off scenes with special effects, but rather gives space to the humanity, empathy and sense of belonging of a group of children who share the same Passion and love for their country of origin. A little less convincing? The moral is a bit too intrusive and a story that has no real development in the end, but always remains in media resolution.
Commander makes us think about the theme of happiness, which Favino himself defines in the film as an “immobile and therefore uninteresting state”, and about how for some men the love of the sea surpasses everything, even that of their own wife and children a simple act of kindness and solidarity can truly change the world.
Venezia 80 begins with a clear message of openness to the other, to the enemy, and Comandante becomes a way for the Venetian festival to align with the idea of a united Italy, ready to reach out to others. Because in war we fight, but the people, whether allies or enemies, are never left behind, they are never left at sea.
And even if the film with Favino is not a masterpiece, it managed to do one thing: spread a message of solidarity and create it on the screen. That alone is a good reason to watch the film. We may have to wait a few more days for the masterpieces.
Rating: 7